4/29/2010
Just hang up and drive on "No Phone Zone Day" Friday
BOISE - Make a commitment to focus on the road ahead and put your cell phone away while driving.
The Idaho Transportation Department joins forces with the Governor's Highway Safety Association (GHSA), Oprah Winfrey and Harpo Studios to fight distracted driving during "No Phone Zone Day" Friday (April 30).
Digital message signs along Idaho highways will carry the safety message, "Driving/texting? Hang up. Arrive alive."
Cell phones and texting are two of many distractions that drivers might experience when operating a motor vehicle. Distraction or inattention is a contributing cause of about one out of five motor vehicle crashes in Idaho, according to ITD statistics.
A special live episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show," devoted to dangers associated with cell phone use and texting while driving, will be featured at viewing rallies in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
GHSA Chairman Vernon Betkey has personally taken the "No Phone Zone" pledge and will participate in the Washington, D.C., rally.
"GHSA has always supported a multifaceted approach to combating distracted driving. While state legislation and enforcement are both critical factors, education efforts are also important," Betkey said. "And what better person to raise public awareness than Oprah Winfrey?"
"As a society, we need to make cell phone use while driving as unacceptable as drunk driving," he added.
To take the "No Phone Zone" pledge, visit: www.oprah.com/nophonezone.